Cameron Wins Support in Drive for EU to Cut Business Red Tape

Oct. 25 (Bloomberg) -- U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron
said he made progress in his bid to persuade the European Union
to cut regulation and ease the administrative burden on
businesses.

Britain’s appeal to cut red tape won support from trading
nations such as Germany and the Netherlands and may bolster his
case to keep the U.K. in the 28-nation bloc. Cameron is
attempting to renegotiate the relationship with the EU before a
referendum in 2017 on whether to stay in the union.

“You can see a sea change, really, of the thinking here,”
Cameron told reporters at the end of a two-day summit of EU
leaders. “That is a success story, not just for Britain but a
success story for Europe, and I will keep pushing.”

Cameron made 30 proposals where he said mandates should
either be scaled back or should go no further, in areas
including data protection, workers’ rights, food labeling and
environmental reporting. He said there was evidence that the
European Commission, the EU’s executive arm responsible for
proposing legislation, was listening.

It follows a U.K. government-commissioned report last week
put together by six business leaders including Marks & Spencer
Group Plc Chief Executive Officer Marc Bolland that included
recommendations with the potential to “save EU businesses
billions of euros,” according to a letter sent to leaders and
signed by 80 businesses across Europe.

Bolland and entrepreneur Dale Murray joined Cameron and
European Commission President Jose Barroso at a meeting today
with the leaders of Germany, Netherlands, Estonia, Italy,
Poland, Sweden and Finland.

‘Useful Points’

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told reporters after the
summit he saw “very useful points on how to promote
businesses.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she welcomed
the commission’s own drive to cut red tape. “You wouldn’t have
dared to dream of that just a few years ago,” she said.

French President Francois Hollande was not so enthusiastic.

He told reporters at the conclusion of the main summit that
while France favored “simplification” of regulations, “the
goals of protecting consumers, workers and the environment have
to be guaranteed.”

Barroso said the EU has repealed 5,590 legal acts since
2005 and made 32.3 billion euros ($44.6 billion) in
administrative savings between 2007 and 2012.

In a joint statement at the end of their summit leaders
said they welcomed the commission’s pledge to take “ambitious
further steps to make the EU regulatory framework lighter.”